Empire Maker Filly Among F-T Sale Standouts

More often than not, a colt brings the top price at a sale of 2-year-olds in training because his earning potential on the racetrack is higher than a filly’s. But at the Fasig-Tipton Florida select auction, which will be held March 3 at Palm Meadows Training Center near Boynton Beach, there is a female that some people think could top the sale. A daughter of Empire Maker, the filly is consigned by Murray Smith, agent.
To learn more about the filly and other horses that were attracting the attention of buyers, read the following list:

Hip No. 23, a colt by English Channel– Reach the Top, by Cozzene. Consigned by Off The Hook, agent.

“He really enjoyed the turf course (working the fastest quarter mile in :20 4/5); he’s by English Channel and from a European family, so that’s not surprising,” said Off The Hook’s Joe Appelbaum of this bay juvenile, who is out of a grade III winner and is a half brother to grade III winner Changing World (by Spinning World). “He’s a neat little colt that can really run all day.”

“You can look and see yourself; he’s class, class, and class,” said Niall Brennan of this dark bay or brown juvenile, who is out of an added-money winner and is half brother to grade III winner Richwoman (by Successful Appeal). “He is a beauty; he’s a gorgeous horse. You can’t fault his conformation. He’s the best-looking Street Sense that I’ve seen and he’s got a tremendous demeanor for a young colt. He sleeps all day in his stall, but out on that track, when you push the button, he’s like a Cadillac.” He worked an eighth of a mile in :10 1/5.

Hip No. 49, a filly by More Than Ready– Spring Unbridled, by Unbridled's Song. Consigned by SGV Thoroughbreds, agent for W.D. North Thoroughbreds.

“She’s just a really nice filly,” said SGV Thoroughbreds’ Steven Venosa of this dark bay or brown juvenile, who is a half sister to stakes winner Kid Mambo (by Lemon Drop Kid). “She’s very balanced and has a great mind. All year she’s done everything right and we were excited about bringing her down here because she trained really well at the farm. She also trained really well here and she liked this surface. She’s really thriving here. Leading her up there, I would be lying to you if I said we thought she was going to go (an eighth of a mile in) :9 3/5 (equaling a world juvenile auction record), but we knew she was going to have a fast work. She proved she was the fastest horse on the grounds.”

“I think he’s a really nice horse,” said Kevin McKathan of this dark bay or brown juvenile, who breezed an eighth of a mile in :10 2/5. “He’s a big, stretchy horse; he’s probably going to be a two-turn horse. I think he’s a horse that gives people a bit of a dream. He is one of the better moving horses in the sale, I would have to think. He meets all the requirements. He’s beautiful, he’s correct, and he has pedigree.”

“She’s just been one of those horses that since day one it’s been easy for,” said John Stephens of this gray or roan juvenile, who is a full sister to the grade II-placed winner Tempted to Tapit. “She has a great mind. She trains really well and has some scope to her as well as speed. That combination should make her very popular.” She worked an eighth of a mile in :9 4/5.

“He’s a pretty spectacular horse,” said Wavertree’s Ciaran Dunne of this gray or roan juvenile, whose stakes-placed winning dam is a half sister to champion Forever Together (by Belong to Me). “He’s as complete a package, I think, as you get. He’s by an exciting horse in Hard Spun, who kept proving us wrong by running farther and farther, and he’s out of an Aptitude mare, so he’s got the pedigree to go two turns. At the end of a shank he’s big and he’s strong. He’s got length and scope and he’s fast (stopping the clock in :9 4/5 in his work at an eighth of a mile).”

“He’s a really nice, solid colt and he’s been a pleasure to train,” said SGV Thoroughbreds’ Steven Venosa of this bay juvenile, whose dam is a half sister to the stakes winner Medford. “He is very forward and balanced horse with a great walk and a great mind.” He breezed an eighth of a mile in :10.

Hip No. 84, a filly by Harlan's Holiday – Velvet Snow, by Subordination. Consigned by Off The Hook, agent.

“She worked in :21 4/5; to go that fast on that track in that wind for a quarter mile really showed that she’s something special,” said Off The Hook’s Joe Appelbaum of this bay juvenile, who is out of a stakes winner. “She’s not the most imposing horse physically, but she’s a stone cold runner.”

“I’ve loved him all winter,” said Hoby Kight of this bay juvenile, whose dam is a full sister to grade II winner Tenpins. “He’s fast and can carry his speed. His pedigree says he can run a mile and a half.” He worked the co-fastest quarter mile on dirt, covering the distance in :21 3/5.

“He’s got a lovely turf pedigree, and he’s a very good-looking Medaglia d’Oro,” said Niall Brennan of this dark bay or brown juvenile, who is a half brother to Canadian grade II and American grade III winner J’ray (by Distant View). “He’s still a little immature in his body, but he travels well on the dirt because he’s very competitive. I decided to put him on the turf to let him excel in his element. He is just so impressive on it.” He breezed the quickest eighth of a mile on grass, stopping the clock in :9 4/5.

“He’s by a super sire and from a great family, and he’s way more mature than his date of birth (May 25) shows you. He’s total class,” said David Scanlon of this bay juvenile, who is out of a Vodafone Epsom Oaks (Eng-I) winner. “He went probably :10 1/5 in his prep, but (during the under tack show) he got a little heat stroke (and worked an eighth of a mile in :10 4/5). He’s a young horse and I think the stress got to him.”

“He’s probably the best horse that I’ve ever had my hands on,” said Classic Bloodstock’s Danzel Brendemuehl of this bay juvenile, who is out of a stakes winner. “He goes out and does his job. He will breeze (an eighth of a mile) in :10 1/5 and then is like ‘what do you want me to do next?’ He might even be able to pony the next horse out to the track. He is so kind and good. He can run all day.”

Hip No. 142, a colt by Speightstown – Cindy’s Hero, by Sea Hero. Consigned by All In Sales, agent.

“For a Speightstown, there’s plenty of him,” said All in Sales’ Tony Bowling of this bay juvenile, who is out of a grade I winner. “He’s a very nice sized colt and he has a lot of bone, which makes him very durable. He acts like he’s made of concrete. He just handles everything we throw at him and he’s a May 18 foal. He is a very hard horse to fault. He has a huge walk and on the track it is correlating to a very big, beautiful stride.” He worked an eighth of a mile in :10 1/5.

Hip No. 147, a colt by Indian Charlie – Cryptos’ Best, by Cryptoclearance. Consigned by Nick de Meric, agent.

“He’s just a super colt,” said de Meric of this dark bay or brown juvenile, who is out of a stakes winner. “He’s got a great mind and he’s by one of the hottest sires in the country. He’s a very easy horse to like. He’s well put together and well balanced. He has plenty of bone and plenty of substance. He has a beautiful hip and shoulder and he’s an excellent mover.” He breezed an eighth of a mile in :10 2/5.

“Everyone tells me he looks just like his dad,” said Kevin McKathan of this chestnut juvenile, who worked an eighth of a mile in :10 1/5. “He’s a horse that has always been pretty special; he’s done everything right. He’s a super mover on the track and when you pull him out of his stall, he’s as pretty as you would want on the end of a shank. He’s a horse that people think might be able to go to the next level and get around two turns.”

Hip No. 175, a filly by Johannesburg – Gabriellina Giof, by Ashkalani. Consigned by Eddie Woods, agent.
“She is a beautiful filly, she has a big stride, and she exudes class,” said Kentucky bloodstock agent Peter Bradley, who purchased this chestnut juvenile for $245,000 as a yearling. She is a half sister to grade I winner Gabby’s Golden Gal (by Medaglia d'Oro) and grade II winner Always a Princess (by Leroidesanimaux). She worked an eighth of a mile in :10 1/5.

“She’s got a brilliant mind, and she has class and presence about her,” said Smith of this bay juvenile, who is the first foal out of a half sister to champion Halfbridled (by Unbridled). “When you put the tack on her, she swells up about another hand. She is a very, very competitive, fierce, strong-willed filly. She’s fast and she never gets tired.” She breezed an eighth of a mile in :10.

“He must have been a great yearling because he was expensive (selling for $575,000) and he’s only gotten better and better,” said David Scanlon of this dark bay or brown juvenile, who is a half brother to grade I winner Cash Included (by Include). “I call him my absolute sales professional because he comes out and shows himself really good and walks good. He’s everything he’s supposed to be.” He worked an eighth of a mile in :10 2/5.

“She worked (an eighth of a mile) in :10 1/5 and she’s by one of the hottest sires around,” said Frommer of this bay juvenile, who is out of a grade II winner. “She also has the most amazing recovery time. I was stunned at how quickly she recovered from her breeze. She didn’t drink; she didn’t blow. She’s one of those horses that recovers so instantaneously. It took nothing out of her.”

Hip No. 221, Cool Brees, a colt by Unbridled's Song – May Night, by Gulch. Consigned by Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds.

“He has one of the fastest gallop outs over this track, which has been a little bit hard to gallop out on,” said Dean De Renzo of this bay juvenile, who is out of a stakes winner. “He’s a beautiful colt. He’s just the right size to stay sound and make it through his 2-year-old and 3-year-old years. He’s made everybody’s list.” He breezed an eighth of a mile in :10 1/5.

“We’re real proud of him,” said Pike Racing’s Al Pike of this gray or roan juvenile, who is out of an added-money winner. “He’s a dream horse for us. He’s never had a bad day and we think the sky’s the limit for him. He’s got a beautiful shoulder and a good hip, and he’s correct. He’s really a pretty mover.” He breezed an eighth of a mile in :10 1/5.

“Her breeze was exceptional (an eighth of a mile in :10 1/5) and she’s a very pretty filly,” said Niall Brennan of this chestnut juvenile, who is a half sister to added-money winner Stormin’ Lyon (by Storm Boot). “She has beautiful lines and a great mind. She’s very professional and automatic. She’s very, very clean and sound, and she’s very athletic.”